2017 Book #38, "Smart Fat"

"Smart Fat"

Steven Masley, Jonny Bowden

An informative survey of healthy eating and an outline of the benefits of eating so-called "smart fat" foods and avoiding "dumb fats." Well written, although I rolled my eyes when they turned the phrase "smart fat" into a verb ("here are some ways to smart fat your eating"). It has great advice for cleaning up your diet and the rationale behind it. I don't think I can get onboard with the whole organic thing, though the authors push it hard. They want even your dairy and eggs to be grass fed free range pasture raised, which to me is excessive. However, there is no doubt that their arguments for cleaner eating are true and more important every day, as the much of the world continues to industrialize, and our instincts (at least in America) are often to turn to packaged foods instead of whole and fresh. I've long felt that these microwaved, sugary, salty, plastic-wrapped foods are suspect in value. This books details exactly how they are bereft of nutritional benefit, and, further, how they can act as toxin and poison in the body. Choosing cleaner, fresher, whole foods makes a big difference, and it was good to hear in scientific and nutritional terms things that I've thought about for a long time.

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2017 Book #37, "The Last Juror"

"The Last Juror"
John Grisham

A loosely told story of two relationships; one between the protagonist, the new owner/editor of a small-town newspaper, and the tiny, slow-moving Southern town itself, and between the same protagonist and his friend Miss Callie, a gentle, well-spoken Christian woman with an intriguing history. Their paths all cross following a brutal crime at the beginning of the book, following which Miss Callie is the last juror selected for the trial of the murderer. The trial ends halfway through the book, at which I was surprised (this being Grisham). The remainder of the story is filled with the goings-on of the paper, its rise to prominence in the lives of its readers and editor; the ebb and flow of the town, its changes and resistance to changes. The book touches on things as disparate as the Vietnam war, racism in the South in the mid-70's, and the economic impacts of big business on a small town. It is a rather sprawling book in subject, even as the whole thing is narrowly focused on the main character and the town he grows to care for.

Well written, although the denouement felt anti-climactic. The second half of the book dragged a bit. Maybe that was due to my predisposition to expect big reveals, cliffhangers, twists and turns and things like that. There was little of that sort of excitement in this novel. It felt more like something that maybe actually happened. It was just dull enough that it really seemed like it was the memoirs of a small town newspaperman, and just interesting enough to be curious as to how it turned out. Maybe if I had left aside my preconceived notion of what a Grisham novel is I would have enjoyed it more for what it was; a character-driven drama.

2017 Book #35, "Between Heaven and the Real World"

"Between Heaven and the Real World: My Story"

Steven Curtis Chapman

Steven Curtis Chapman is one of my heroes, in music as well as faith. Through this autobiography, SCC (as he is referred to in my house) opens his life in its triumphs, failures, and tragedies, letting the stories of his music and family point the way ultimately to his faith in Jesus. It is an easy read, meant, I think, for an average reader, with many relatable anecdotes to balance the occasional step into slightly more technical musical jargon (of which there are only a few). It is only focused on his music in that it has been one of the centerpieces of his life, as his job and ministry; SCC speaks as much, or more, about his journey as a man, a son, a husband, a father, all which resonate deeply with me as I begin to experience my own path in these areas. Then, of course, are the stories of the songs that I've known my whole life, the albums that have been with me since I was a boy, and the circumstances that surround many of them. I was surprised, a little, that a few albums were mentioned only in passing. I expected a more detailed look at each and every one, though perhaps because there are so many there simply wasn't enough time or room. I'm not sure about that, but what is there is insightful and enlightening. Finally, reading about the faith journey that SCC has gone through is truly inspiring and has, I dare to say, lit a mini-revival in my own life, both spiritually and musically. He doesn't pretend to be perfect or to know all the answers; indeed, he writes again and again that being hyper-spiritual has proven to be one of his weaknesses and failing points. Seeing this transparency and honesty combined with the humility of one of the great songwriters of all Christian history is humbling and inspiring.

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